The Dead River Co. has come up with a better mousetrap: instead of waiting around for a natural gas pipeline to bring gas to your place, how about if it delivers the product — compressed — to your door? It will be only for commercial-use customers, those who burn more than 75,000 gallons of oil a year. But it could be a big cost saver for high schools and hospitals. Read all about it.

An Ellsworth police officer was arrested over the weekend in Holden and charged with domestic assault. Apart from the court action this initiates, the Police Department has to take action internally. Read all about it.
And the Maine Public Broadcasting Network has announced its plan to provide live coverage of the state legislature. The C-SPAN-type broadcasts by news veteran Mal Leary could commence next week.

A 71-year-old man is lucky to be in one piece after he was struck and dragged by his own van outside Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. You will see that he experienced an unfortunate series of events. Page 1.

And the scam du jour involves an outfit mailing official looking forms to Maine businesses and asking that the forms be filled out, including corporate minutes, and returned with a check for $125. Pure baloney, according to the secretary of state. Page 1.

All this plus the results of our Snowman Contest, a chart showing the drop in real estate valuations in Hancock County, a tribute to a much-loved former register of probate and some great photos of the Eastern Maine Cheerleading Championships, a Chinese New Year’s recipe and everything you ever wanted to know about ukuleles.

All in The American ... The Ellsworth American ... serving the community since 1851, just 30 years after the death of Napoleon.